I changed my ink, but the printer will not print in color. It only prints in B&W. It is a f4180. i have windows home vista. i need to print a school project by tommorrow - help!

clean the color ink port with air

Note: Some color ink will still be used for print head maintenance.

Note: Image quality may be sacrificed when printing photographs.

1. Open the Properties / Preferences window for the printer.
   
   For Windows Vista
   • Click / Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, 'Control Panel', 'Hardware and Sound', and then click on 'Printers'. Note: If you are in 'Classic' view, Click 'Printers' directly from the 'Control Panel'.
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Printing Preferences...' from the menu that appears.
     
   For Windows XP Home Edition
   
   • Click / Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, 'Control Panel,' 'Printers and Other Hardware,' and 'Printers and Faxes.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Printing Preferences...' from the menu that appears.
   
   For Windows XP Professional Edition
   
   • Click 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and 'Printers and Faxes.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Printing Preferences...' from the menu that appears.
   
   For Windows 2000/ Me/98 (if applicable)
   
   • Click / Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and 'Settings,' then 'Printers.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Properties' from the menu that appears.
     
     
2. Click on the Main tab.
   
   
3. Select 'Plain Paper' as the Media Type. If any other paper type is selected, color ink will be used to create black.
   
   
   
   Note: The pigment black ink will only be used when printing on plain paper.
   
   
4. Select the box for 'Grayscale Printing'.
   
   
   
   Note: If either 'Borderless Printing' or 'Duplex Printing' are enabled from the Page Setup tab, grayscale will be created using a combination of the color (dye) inks to prevent smearing.
   
   
5. Click 'OK' to save the changes.

The printer will now only use the pigment black ink tank.

HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

You need to take it a couple steps further after your test print. Sounds like your print heads need cleaning or your cartridge may need aligning. It’s best to do this each time you install a new cartridge. for more information….... http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-40171-printer-not-printing-black

The print server is Vista compatible. However, the Deskjet F4180 is not listed as a supported printer.Look at this list: http://iogear.com/files/pdf/GPSU21_Printer_Compatiblity_List_4-20-09.pdf . This print server is not the right one for your printer. You can either try a different print server, a supported printer or directly connect the printer to a computer and make that computer a print server for the rest of your network. The last option will take a bit more work. In Windows, the directly connected computer will need to allow sharing for the printer and the firewall software will need to trust the other machines in the network connect to it. The other computers will only be able to print and not use the other multi-function features. You may need to get additional software drivers to make this work (particularly if one computer uses a 64-bit OS and another has a 32-bit OS).

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

HP always recommend that ink cartridge should be replace by original ink.

As this kind of scenario will occur if the ink will just be replace by a refill ink.

Try to do an ink cartridge cleaning
Open the print page
Click on Preferance
Click on Color
Click on Printer Services
Select your cleaning options

Print using pigment black ink only (Windows) Instructionsto print using only the pigment black ink tank only. Occasionally youmay need to print using black ink only. Using grayscale alone does notprovide this option and the color inks will still be used. By followingthis procedure you may print using only the pigment black ink tank. Note: Image quality may be sacrificed when printing photographs.

1. Open the Properties / Preferences window for the printer.
   
   For Windows Vista
   • Click/ Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, 'ControlPanel', 'Hardware and Sound', and then click on 'Printers'. Note: If you are in 'Classic' view, Click 'Printers' directly from the 'Control Panel'.
   • Clickyour right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and thenselect 'Printing Preferences...' from the menu that appears.
     
   For Windows XP Home Edition
   
   • Click/ Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, 'ControlPanel,' 'Printers and Other Hardware,' and 'Printers and Faxes.'
   • Clickyour right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and thenselect 'Printing Preferences...' from the menu that appears.
   
   For Windows XP Professional Edition
   
   • Click 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and 'Printers and Faxes.'
   • Clickyour right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and thenselect 'Printing Preferences...' from the menu that appears.
   
   For Windows 2000/Me/98
   
   • Click / Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and 'Settings,' then 'Printers.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Properties' from the menu that appears.
     
     
2. Click on the Main tab.
   
   
3. Select 'Plain Paper' as the Media Type. If any other paper type is selected, color ink will be used to create black.
   
   
   
   Note: The pigment black ink will only be used when printing on plain paper.
   
   
4. Select the box for 'Grayscale Printing'. If the document to be printed is in black only, then this step may be skipped.
   
   
   
   Note: If either 'Borderless Printing' or 'Duplex Printing' are enabled from the Page Setup tab, grayscale will be created using a combination of the color (dye) inks to prevent smearing.
   
   
5. Click 'OK' to save the changes.

The printer will now only use the pigment black ink tank.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/solveCategory?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3235312

HP recommends that you follow the above link to proceed with the troubleshooting of your problem.
If this doesn't help, please let me know!

regards,
ROnald.875083